


Xenoblade Chronicles: Our World

by Natearu



Category: Xenoblade Chronicles
Genre: Epilogue, Other, Post-Epilogue: Xenoblade Chronicles Future Connected
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:01:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27255376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Natearu/pseuds/Natearu
Summary: A pseudo-epilogue of sorts for Xenoblade Chronicles: Future Connected. This delves into Shulk and Melia's relationship (or lack thereof), and is a short and sweet extra story if you're starved for more Xenoblade content after playing/watching Future Connected. We got references, little loose ends getting tied up, and best of all: MORE CHARACTER INTERRACTIONS!! Hope you all enjoy the read! :]
Relationships: Melia Ancient | Melia Antiqua & Shulk, Reyn/Shulk (Xenoblade Chronicles), Riki & Shulk (Xenoblade Chronicles)
Kudos: 4





	Xenoblade Chronicles: Our World

**Author's Note:**

> SPOILER WARNING:
> 
> This spoils the entirety of Xenoblade Chronicles AND Future Connected, so if you haven't beaten or seen the endings for both, I would HIGHLY recommend playing/seeing them first before reading. Please bookmark this for later if you have ANY interest in more XC content down the line, just don't spoil yourself, I don't want to be responsible for anything like that.

1 year has passed since the Fog King’s defeat. Everybody from the Bionis’ Shoulder now lives in harmony with the people of the Colonies and beyond in this relatively new world the Heir created alongside his closest allies. Blood no longer boils among the High Entia, the Machina can finally stop living in fear of people wanting them dead, the Homs are at peace, and the Nopon remain as fluffy and carefree as can be. Especially ever since Bana was exposed as a criminal drug-dealer. While that has nothing to do with the fall of Zanza, it’s just good to remember that Bana no longer roams free. 

Anyways, it looks to be another picturesque day in Colony 9. Hardly a cloud in the sky, no Titans, no interdimensional vortexes showing up out of nowhere, and people of all kinds are just taking time to enjoy existing; something they all had a hard time doing while still living on the Bionis and Mechonis. Although the Machina still mourn the loss of Lady Meyneth from time to time, their sadness is usually short-lived as they remember her sacrifice against Zanza to be a critical moment of their inevitable liberation. Cultures and higher beings aside though, it looks as though a familiar somebody is having respite on the new Outlook Park: it appears to be Shulk, the Heir to the Monado, and co-creator of this world. What could this Homs of such high status be up to?

“Oh man, this book on Nopon customs is great!” Shulk says while holding a grungy-looking book with pages being kept very loosely together by wooden rings instead of a spine, “I’ve got to thank Riki for recommending this to me when I get the chance! Although, I do wish it was transcribed to suit a more Homs-like dialect… I keep having to read over sentences over and over because of these Nopon mannerisms!”

Shulk chuckles to himself as he gently turns the page, making sure nothing tears off. Aaaand there goes the page he just turned. Damn, Nopon print sure is delicate.

“No, wait!” yells Shulk as he runs towards the page being blown away towards the steps.

Shulk swipes at the page, but barely whiffs it before it floats down the steps. He catches himself before he could’ve had a nasty fall, but as he looks up, he can see the page floating idly in the hand of an ever-so familiar, broad, friend-shaped figure.

“Oi, Shulk! You gotta be more careful with your leaves, man! And I thought  _ I  _ was the clumsy one!”

“Reyn! You’re a lifesaver!”

“Nah, don’t mention it! But man, I remember when Dunban used to say books can really take you places, but it looks like the book was already going on a journey of its own! You like that one? Eh, Shulk?” Reyn says as he nudges his best friend.

“Oh, stop it Reyn, that was a stretch and you know it!”

“And so what if it was?” Reyn turns away and mutters under his breath, “I thought that was pretty good…”

“Reyn, I can still hear you, you big softie!” Shulk says as he playfully punches Reyn’s ever-massive left arm.

“Oi, take it easy, Shulk!” says Reyn as he pretends that Shulk’s punch hurt even a little bit by rubbing it, “Can’t a Homs see his best friend without having insults thrown at ‘im?”

“Oh, sorry Reyn, I didn’t mean it like-”

“C’mon Shulk, lighten up a little!” Reyn returns a punch to Shulk on his considerably smaller left arm, “I’m just messin’ around! You think you know a Homs, I swear.” he says jokingly.

Shulk doesn’t even try hiding the pain and recoils while grabbing the punched arm, “R-right. Sorry about that Reyn. Just haven’t really seen a lot of you lately, I guess I forgot how to act around you.”

“Must be. Bet it’s Fiora making you soft. Wait a minute, maybe  _ I’m  _ not the softie here, eh, Shulk?”

“Yeah yeah, I’ve gotten soft, you got me.” Shulk walks back to his favorite bench and signals Reyn to sit next to him, “Come on Reyn, sit down for a bit. Didn't you say you wanted to come see your best friend?”

“You got me there again Shulk. There’s just no beating you in a fight of wits.” Reyn glances at the space next to Shulk for a bit, “Oi, wait a minute, ain’t that Fiora’s spot?”

“Oh yeah, I suppose it is. Well, she’s not here right now, so I’m sure she won’t mind. And if she does find out, I’ll be sure to make her talk  _ my  _ ear off instead of yours, how about that?”

“Are you sure about this? I feel like I’m about to invade Galahad Fortress all over again, but instead of blood-thirsty Mechon, it’s a crazy Homs girl who could-”

“Reyn, stop acting like a timid Krabble and sit down already!”

“Alright, alright! Fiora really  _ has  _ changed you, huh.”

The two laugh as Reyn takes a seat in Fiora’s usual spot on the bench. Shulk and Reyn both look out towards Colony 9 and just take it all in. The view from Outlook Park never gets old. Nothing intimate happens in the silence, just a couple of bros enjoying some long-overdue company ever since they solidified their own personal lives. Right before the two could completely zone-out and stare off into space, Shulk breaks the silence:

“So how did you know I was here?”

“Well Shulk, we both know the answer to that one: back in the old Colony on Bionis, you were always here when you weren’t in the lab staring at the Monado and thinkin’ about how it worked.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s true, I did have a pretty strict routine when it came to my freetime.”

“You can say that again! Some days I had to drag you outta the lab because you would be late for our play days!”

“Haha, right you are, Reyn.”

“... Also Sharla told me you were here when I asked her if she had any idea.”

“Wait, why did you need to ask Sharla where I was? I know you’re not the brightest at times, but I thought for sure you could’ve figured it out on your own. Is something wrong?”

“Oi, you better watch your mouth before I shut it for ya, ya big-mouthed bunnit!” Reyn takes a moment to compose himself as Shulk laughs a bit at Reyn’s usual theatrics, “Anyways, yeah, I actually did want to talk about somethin’. It’s nothing wrong though, just something Sharla brought up when we were talkin’ about some things.”

“Really? What kind of things?”

“Oh, we were just talking about our time on Bionis together. Y’know, as a group, not just her and I.”

“Reyn, don’t tell me you guys were talking about the invasions again. I thought we agreed that we would look towards the future and-”

“Shulk, slow down a bit there! Cut me a bit of slack, we weren’t talking about that, we were talking about more personal things, and uhm… Well, you and Melia came up in the middle of it.”

“Melia? And me? That’s strange. I mean, there isn’t really much to talk about there, we were just really good friends like everybody else in the group. Unless you guys were speculating on what happened on the Shoulder, but I can assure you that we told you guys everything you needed to-”

“Come on Shulk, you can’t tell me you’re this dense, man! Well, guess I got no right runnin’ my mouth since I didn’t know either.”

“Reyn, just spit it out! What is it?”

“Well, y’see… Man, this don’t feel right with me being the one to say it… Melia had feelings for you, Shulk.”

“She had feelings for me? Well Reyn, I already told you, we were just as close as everybody-”

“Oi, what are ya, stupid? I’m tellin’ ya she had feelings for you like you do Fiora!”

“Oh! Well that’s uhm… Nice I guess? I don’t know, that just feels weird that all this time she felt  _ that _ and I just never knew. Should I go apologise? No, she’s busy, she probably has affairs in Alcamoth to deal with right now. A letter? No, that would be weird. Not to mention that Fiora would get suspicious even though I don’t feel that w-”

“Bionis to Shulk! Are you still there? Calm down, man! You sound like you’re reciting one of your old theories on how to activate the Monado before you could wield it. I just wanted to tell you ‘cause I felt like you needed to know. Plus we don’t really talk about this stuff often. Thought I’d give it a try for a change.”

“Well now I remember why we never talked about this sort of thing. I’m at a loss for words.”

“Yeah, that’s how I thought this would go. Well, uh-”

Reyn’s most likely terrible attempt at restarting the conversation is abruptly interrupted by the sound of 3 familiar voices in the distance. They’re all Nopon with 2 of them sounding like a young boy and girl, and the third is currently triggering Reyn’s fight or fight response. Reyn doesn’t run, especially not from  _ this  _ furball.

“Oi Shulk, is that-”

“Riki! Kino! Nene!”

The three Nopon excitedly bounce up the steps towards the two dangerously awkward Homs. But then again, they’re probably always like this. Hard to tell if they’re excited or just being themselves at times. Good thing Shulk has that book to tell the difference! The small family of Nopon are fast-approaching as Shulk and Reyn stand up to greet their old friends. Riki, like always, manages to get the first words out:

“Shulk! Reyn! Hi-hi! Riki so glad to see Hom-Hom friends again!”

Riki goes straight for Reyn with an all-out, full-weight hug-pounce. Unfortunately for Reyn, he wasn’t ready and immediately fell on his back thanks to this old friendly mass of fur. Kino and Nene follow suit, but they go immediately for Shulk since they haven’t seen each other much since they fought on the Shoulder together. 

“Mister Shulk! It’s great to see you!” cried Nene as she jumped for Shulk's arms.

“Kino, the Great Heropon in training, has been doing well since we saw last, Mister Shulk!” said Kino as he followed in his sister’s tiny footsteps.

Lucky for Shulk, he was ready for it, and now has both Nopon kids in his arms. He’s struggling a bit, and his arms are shaking, but he’s keeping it together. Although, it’s not long before he puts them both back down as easily as he can. Reyn however is still struggling to get Riki off of him.

“Ugh, get off of me, furball!” yelled Reyn as he finally pushed Riki off of his chest and picked himself back up, “Oi, make sure you warn me ahead of time before you do stuff like that, old man!”

“Hm! Riki thought big Hom-Hom like yourself could handle Riki’s small Nopon body. Maybe Reyn is not as strong as he looks!”

“Why I oughta…” sneered Reyn as he clenched his fists.

“Reyn, take it easy!” interjected Shulk, “Especially not in front of the kids.”

“Yes-yes! Friend Shulk is right! Do not want to set bad example for littlepon! Although the Great Heropon would have no trouble taking on big, angry Hom-Hom.” jeered Riki in agreeance.

“Wait a minute, Riki…” interrupted Shulk before Reyn could have a chance to blow up, “Isn’t a new Heropon chosen once a year? It’s been over two years since Chief Dunga chose you, hasn’t it?”

Riki shakes his head slowly like a disappointed parental figure, “Shulk is very silly! Been too caught up in Nopon book that he no think outside of box! Heropon  _ is  _ chosen once a year, but Heropon spirit stays for very long time!”

“You tell ‘im, Dadapon!” added Kino, “Once a Heropon, always a Heropon!”

“Kino and Dadapon are right, Mister Shulk!” says Nene, “‘Heropon pride stays until Heropon becomes one with Bionis’ is what Chief Dunga always told us littlepon!”

“Ah, I see. I had no idea Nopon culture had so many niches that aren't illustrated in books! I still have so much to learn…”

“Uhm, Shulk?” Reyn chimed in, “You forgettin’ something? Something kind of important we were just talking about?”

“Oh! Riki good with important talk! Is something not well with Hom-Hom friend?”

“I appreciate it, Riki, but it’s nothing really.” assured Shulk, “Just some old complications resurfacing is all.”

“Meh-meh!” yelled a bothered Kino, “Dadapon always told us to not keep nasty things to self!”

“Kino is right, Mister Shulk!” added Nene, “Dadapon would say the nasties would come out even more nasty if littlepon didn’t let it come out!”

“Yeah, I suppose you’re right. The only way to really look to the future is accepting the past.” Shulk glances over at Riki, “You two have a good Dadapon looking after you.”

“Hey Riki, what are you doing here in Colony 9 anyways?” asked Reyn, “Isn’t your village still a long ways away?”

“Well, wifeypon wanted to take all the littlepon out for walk, but Okka wanted her hubbypon to help, so Riki offered to take these two littlepon to see old Hom-Hom friend from adventure on Shoulder of Bionis!”

“Well that was really nice of you, Riki! I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised it didn’t take you three very long to get here considering how much all of us have traveled in the past.”

“Shulk gets it! Now littlepon, go on tour around Colony with Mister Shulk’s Hom-Hom friend!”

“Wait, a what with who!?” said Reyn, being clearly taken aback.

“Thankies, Dadapon!” said the two siblings simultaneously.

“Mister Shulk’s Hom-Hom friend, can Nene show you her arts? I learned it from what Dadapon told us about you!” said Nene excitedly as she went towards the stairs.

“Can Kino show off his arts too? The Great Heropon in training is really good with ether shooter!”

“You’re gonna pay big time for this, furball…” muttered Reyn as he walked down the stairs with the two littlepon bouncing, and waddling to their hearts’ content.

“Uhm, Riki? What was that all about?”

“Hmph! Hom-Hom Shulk still ask too many questions!”

“Riki, what are you even-”

“Sit down! Time for talk-talk with Riki! Riki know Reyn is no good with talk-talk! Now speak to Riki!”

“Riki, I appreciate it, but it’s nothing, really. I’ll just go back to reading that book you gave me about Nopon-” Shulk looks around to find the book, and he can only find a single page and the rings that failed to hold everything together. “Oh, it all must have flown away when everybody arrived. Sorry about that, Riki. And I was actually getting invested in it, too.”

“Shulk not worry about book! Riki made book himself, so take those words with grain of salt! Riki not best with understanding of own culture, I admit.”

“Oh, I see.” Shulk replied with a sullen realization that everything he read may or may not be reliable.

“Well Riki is still good with relationship talks! Take it from Riki: Okka may be crazy-crazy, but Riki made right choice, and it all thanks to old Nopon wisdom and charm! Now talk to Riki! Pretend like you are talking to your old Dadapon, it going to be ok Shulk.” 

“Well alright, if you insist Riki.” Shulk takes a deep breath and begins, “It’s about Melia.”

Riki immediately interrupts excitedly, “Oh, Melly! Does Shulk have crushy-crushy on pretty bird lady?”

“What!? No!” Shulk replied, taken aback, “I have Fiora, remember?”

“Oh, Shulk is right! Riki almost forgot about Shulk’s Hom-Hom girlypon! Riki sorry.”

“It’s quite alright Riki, just let me explain, ok?”

“Riki listen quietly for Shulk!”

“Thank you. Now regarding Melia, Reyn told me that apparently she had feelings for me back when we were trying to get Fiora back.” Shulk pauses as he notices Riki wanting to desperately chime in, but continues anyways, “I never knew she felt that way about me, and I think I feel bad about it? It’s hard to say really, it’s been about 2 years by now, and we’ve all moved on and started our own lives separated, so I don’t even know if I should bother dwelling on the past like this.” Shulk waits for Riki to respond, but realizes he needs to cue him in, “Riki, you’re up.”.

Riki finally replies as if he’s ready to burst into a billion fluffy pieces, “Yes, yes! Shulk spot-on! Riki know Melly had crushy-crushy on Shulk for long time! Riki wanted to help, but knew it best for Melly to figure stuff out by herself.”

“Wait, you knew? It seems like everybody else knew about this but Reyn and I!”

“No, only Riki and Sharla know! We have 6th sense about these crushy-crushy things.”

“I see…” Shulk hesitates before he can think of what to say, “Well what do you think I should do about it, Riki? I’ve never been the best about these sorts of situations.”

“Oh, Riki know that already! I’ve seen you talk to Fiora before. Did not like what I saw. Shulk not good at flirting to girlypons.”

“Riki! You don’t need to remind me, I’m trying to ask for your help here!”

“Fine, fine, Riki help. Now Shulk, answer Riki this: what does Shulk think of Melly?”

“How is this going to help?”

“Does Shulk want help or no?”

“Well, ofcourse!”

“Then tell Heropon what Hom-Hom think of bird lady!”

“Fine, I will!” he takes a moment to think of what to say, “Well, she’s very strong; stronger than one would think at first glance. She’s been through hell and back, but still managed to push through and become crowned ruler of the High Entia…”

“Good, good! What else is good about Melly?”

“I guess she’s really smart, she’s good with a staff, she doesn’t take no for an answer even in the face of adversity… and she also deeply cares for her friends even if she doesn’t show it. Our time on the Shoulder definitely showed me that.”

“Did Shulk ever think this when you first meet Melly?”

“Well, not really, my first impression of her was a slap in the face.” he chuckles to himself, “But I guess I’d be lying if I said I didn't see potential in her.”

“Riki thinks he understands now!”

“Wait, really? That’s all I needed to say? What have you come up with?”

“Is it not obvious? Riki think Shulk had crushy-crushy for Melly, but didn’t even know it! Feelings all locked up like Zanza was inside Hom-Hom friend!”

“What!? What are you on about, I never had feelings for Melia! I only ever thought about Fiora before and after we found her as part Machina!”

“Oh, Shulk is still like littlepon even after all this time. That exactly what Riki mean! Shulk’s Hom-Hom brain wanted Melly, but couldn’t make room with Fiora in there!”

“So you’re saying that I was so caught up with Fiora that I didn’t want to admit there was anybody else I was interested in?”

“Shulk finally get it! This first step in becoming in touch with feelings!”

“Riki, that’s ridiculous! And even if I did have feelings for her back then, or even now, I couldn’t just choose her after Fiora; not after everything we’ve done together. We’ve been through too much for me to change my mind.”

“Meh, time is just flat circle to Riki. Riki have exxypon of 5 years before Okka, and it take only 2 years for us to become hubbypon and wifeypon! It what you do in time that matter most, not time itself.”

“Wow, that’s surprising coming from you, Riki. I never saw you as a philosophical type. But that doesn’t change what Fiora and I have been through, and that’s final!”

“That ok, Shulk! Riki not looking to change your mind about choices, just want to help understand feelings.”

“Thank you Riki, I appreciate it. But this doesn’t help the main problem at hand! I don’t know if I accidentally lead Melia to believe I felt the same, and now I don’t know if apologising would help at all, or if it’s too late…”

“Oh, is that all Shulk worried about? Silly Shulk worry too much! No need to worry about Melly.”

“Oh, are you sure? What makes you so certain she’s ok even after all this time of me not knowing?”

“Well, you said it already! Melly is very strong! She ruler of bird people, and she not worry about crushy-crushy anymore!”

“Ok, that’s great and all, but how do you know that for sure?”

“Did Shulk already forget about Riki’s 6th sense? Shulk should listen to his pretend Dadapon for once! Hmph!”

Shulk chuckles at Riki’s comforting antics, and slowly starts to look up into the sky and starts to think aloud, “Yeah, Riki. I guess you’re right. Knowing her, she probably already knows how I really feel about her.” he looks back down realizing how ridiculous this situation really is and laughs a bit.

“What so funny? Tell your Dadapon!”

“Oh, it’s nothing, really. It’s just ironic.”

“Stop being so vague to Riki! Heropons don’t read minds!”

“Sorry. It’s just funny how I can’t take my own advice sometimes. Last year on the Shoulder, we promised each other to keep moving towards the future; for us, for our people. Yet here I am talking about a memory that should only serve as nothing more than a memory.”

“So, what will Shulk do now?”

“I’m going to do what Melia has been doing this whole time: enjoy our new future, and work towards making it even better. For all of us.”

“Riki thinks Shulk is being overdramatic. Not everything needs big speech, just go live and enjoy life! Nobody but Heropon Riki here to listen to big revelation!”

Shulk laughs, realizing the show he just put on in front of his old friend, “I guess you’re right, Riki. No need to sit around and pat myself on the back for this.” he pauses a bit before changing the subject, “Wait, shouldn’t we go look for Reyn and the others and tell them we’re done here?”

“No, uhm, how about Shulk ask Riki about Nopon customs to pass time! Yes, that sounds like good idea!”

“Riki, didn’t you just say earlier that you’re not-”

“Shulk still ask too many questions! Riki is the legendary Heropon, and as Heropon, Riki will answer any questions curious Hom-Hom friend has! Now ask away and not worry about reyn and littlepon!”

“Oh, well, alright then. If you insist, oh legendary Heropon.” Shulk replied with playful sarcasm, “Now I’ve been curious about this for a while now: how do Nopon reproduce exactly? I want to know every little detail so I have a really good understanding about how your species functions.”

“MEH-MEH!! SHULK CHANGE SUBJECT TO MESS WITH HEROPON!! LET’S GO FIND REYN AND LITTLEPON SO WE NOT HAVE TO TALK ABOUT NASTY-NASTY SUBJECT, QUICK-QUICK!!”

“Haha, whatever you say, Riki. Lead the way, legendary Heropon!”

With a flustered Nopon leading the way, Shulk stands up from his bench, and descends down the stairs of Outlook Park with a newly found perspective on one of his best friends. The two of them find Reyn, Kino and Nene play-fighting, pitting their arts against each other, and Shulk is reminded of what he should never look away from. He takes one final look towards the skies of Alcomoth, and gives off an understanding smile before turning his head back towards his home of Colony 9. From just one quick glance, he sees the view he’s always seen for the past year: local people and the ones he loves living together in peace and harmony, always living in the moment, and all looking towards the future they get to make for themselves.

Every day can finally be just like this. Always.


End file.
